Encounters

Today I'm reading Encounters with the Archdruid (about David Brower, by John McPhee), because the library wants it back three weeks early. My own encounters today: the expected ones, plus running into my brother-in-law delivering mail outside Dotson's photo lab, where I'd just picked up the our newly developed candidates for this winter's holiday card; four adolescent deer loping along Crest Drive together; a gorgeous green-eyed black cat sitting skittishly on a sidewalk near the Millrace and perplexed at my effrontery in stopping to address her.

And now, Readers, I have an encounter to offer you as well: my friend liadanlj, whom I'm thrilled to have in my life again after 17 years away. Her adventures since then have brought her to better places, with more to come. She's written here a lovely bio, to which I should add that she was a wonderful inspiration to me when I was in my early twenties: gentle, fun-loving, determined to find and create and share beauty, and always true to herself. We worked together at a Berkeley book company, and our families became good friends. Everyone should have a Liadan in their lives.